I am using SharePoint Server 2007 Enterprise with Windows Server 2008 Enterprise. And I am using publishing portal template. I am using the following backup and restore process to backup from site collection http://machine1 to site collection http://machine2/sites/site2. I want to know whether my backup and restore process is correct? (both source and destination are site collections.)

Another question is, I am confused in step 2, if I do not create a new content database from Central Administration, and in step 3, the restore command will output error says content database not exists? why?

"the application is setup on the server" -- currently I have an web application which is setup at machine2, and it has its root site collection at machine2. And I am restoring another root site collection from machine1 to mahcine2/sites/site2. In this scenario, I am wondering what do you mean "the application is setup on the server"? Any additional settings for me?
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George2Jan 16 '10 at 14:58

I have this confusion because if I do not create the content db, there will be error message from stsadm -o restore says content db not exists.
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George2Jan 16 '10 at 14:58

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If there is already a root site collection at machine2 then you do have the iis web app created/extended already and there is a content db already in place.
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Mike OryszakJan 16 '10 at 16:14

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SQL Server Express shouldn't be a factor here. The only thing I can think of is if the content db is already maxed out or not in a "Offline" state. If it is set to "Offline" no new site collections can be created into it.
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Mike OryszakJan 16 '10 at 17:30

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Go to Central Administration, Application Management, Content Databases. It will list out all of the content databases for a given application. Please check to make sure you are looking at the application you want, and change the selector in the upper right if applicable.
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Mike OryszakJan 17 '10 at 14:44

I think step 2 is not needed. You can restore directly to a web application (You must make sure that a web application on the destination server exists). No need to create a site collection whose database will be overwritten by the restore action anyway.

"You can restore directly to a web application" -- currently I have an web application which is setup at machine2, and it has its root site collection at machine2. And I am restoring another root site collection from machine1 to machine2/sites/site2. In this scenario, I am wondering what do you mean "You must make sure that a web application on the destination server exists"? Any additional settings for me?
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George2Jan 16 '10 at 15:00